*Knock knock knock* Emma's hand knocked three times with purpose at the pale blue door of Chat's apartment, echoing slightly in the empty corridor.
She heard someone approaching the door with hurried footsteps creaking in the apartment's wooden floor.
"Oh Emma! What a nice surprise, you came to see Chat?" The older sister, Marla, asked as she shot Emma a wide smile.
They both had met many times before, especially when Chat invited Emma to a sleepover when the blonde's dad really made her angry.
Marla, Chat's sister, is around 8 years older than Chat and it's like looking in a mirror to the future. The only big differences between both girls is that Marla has slightly more tanned skin, longer hair and the shape of their noses is slightly different.
Emma could say she likes Marla as well, she is a hard working and loving big sister. Likeness that grew bigger when Chat's mom took a leave to California to try and fix her relationship with her ex-husband and Marla offered Chat a place with her so that she didn't move cities.
"Hello to you too Marla, I'm glad to see you're doing well. And yes, I'm here to see Chat, is she home?" Emma replied with the professional voice her parents induced on her when talking to anyone that required a speck of respect.
"Yeah, she's here. Poor girl has a pretty high fever because she was outside in the cold until late. But she woke up feeling way better!" Marla explained as she told the reason for Chat's sickness.
'Huh, so I was right' Emma found it funny since she can easily recall that that was her conclusion as well.
"Oh I'm sorry, are you going somewhere?" She asked as she noted how Marla was finishing tidying herself up with her earrings.
The older woman is wearing what one would expect from an office lady, complete with a black pencil skirt and matching blazer on top of a white blouse.
Yep, my manager called and said he needs help at the store. Y'know how this Christmas shoppers get - even 3 weeks before" Marla explained as she started putting on her heels.
Marla works in a medium fancy clothing store in a large mall near her apartment. The type of place where every medium wage families buy their clothing, toys, electronics and more.
"Actually, it's great that you're here! I didn't want to leave Chat on her own right now, but you know how it is. So can you look after her while I'm gone? Please?" Marla pleaded after she was ready to leave, her hands together like in prayer.
Emma felt a slight pang of jealousy at this.
This is the type of familial love she craves. The older sister is not doing what she does with some agenda behind it or out of convenience or anything except genuine concern for her little sister.
She doubts anyone in her family would care for her like this.
Perhaps Christian, since he's the closest to her out of everyone in her family, but he's usually too deep in his own problems to look at anyone else.
But it's not the type of jealousy where you wish the other person didn't have what they do, just the thought of how nice it'd be if she had it as well.
But that's precisely why she's here, to make everything between Chat and herself be as it was, because Emma considers Chat closer to herself than some members of her own family.
"Of course, Marla, I'd be happy to look after her in your absence" Emma agreed to the request happily.
"You're a lifesaver, Emma. Help yourself to anything you want from the kitchen! Goodbye!" Marla shouted from the door as she exited the apartment.
Emma then walked towards Chat's bedroom, where she raised her fist to knock once again. But faltered just for a moment. Taking a heavy breath, Emma gathered her courage and knocked on Chat's door twice.
"Marla? I thought you- oh." Chat started saying with her still sickly voice, but was suddenly stopped with the sight of her best friend once she opened the door "Marla let you in" It was more of an observation, rather than a question.
"Yeah" Emma agreed with a sheepish smile.
"Oh - uhm, you can come in" Chat opened her door fully, letting her slightly pale face, red nose and pajama clad body wrapped on a blanket in full display.
"Oh sweetie, you don't look too good" Emma grimaced at the sight.
"Thanks, don't feel like it either" Chat said as she wiped her nose with a tissue she had on her hand as Emma walked behind her.
"At least you look cozy" Emma tried finding the good side of the situation, which got Chat to laugh slightly.
"I am cozy" Chat admitted as she took a seat on her bed, while Emma sat on a chair she had on her desk against the wall of her small bedroom.
Chat looked not so discreetly at the box of cookies on Emma's hand, which got the blonde to laugh slightly.
*Giggle* "Yes, yes. These are for you" Emma told her friend who, even though made a pout at being laughed at, grabbed the box eagerly with a small "thanks".
"So, I heard you were out until too late on the cold and that's why you're like this. Is that correct?" Emma questioned as she looked at the guilt-ridden faced girl, now with crumbles decorating the edges of her mouth.
"Ugh yeah. Flapper was excited for the food but I was trying to explain to him why eating turkey as an owl was a bad thing. I brought him all these leftovers, but all he cared about was the damn turkey" Chat explained as she cursed her dear pet owl and his cannibalistic tendencies.
She knows that owls do eat other birds, but she's asked him to stop for her sake.
She finds it creepy.
*Giggle* "And I bet that conversation gathered more of your friends?" Emma asked with a giggle at Chat's exasperation for her pet.
"Oh yeah, like 5 squirrels and even some mice came to steal the leftovers from Flapper. He was not happy about that" Chat said, joining Emma in her giggling "and how was your holiday?" The animal talker asked after they both finished giggling.
*Sigh* "Full of drama, like always" Emma said with an annoyed scowl, prompting Chat to copy her sigh but her's in sympathy.
"Your dad?" Chat asked.
"My dad" Emma agreed.
"What happened now?" Chat asked as both girls got more comfortable in their seats. This started a conversation where Emma recounted everything her dad did and said that made the dinner to be a total bust.
It didn't help that the attitude of her sisters was just as bad as her dad's and Christian's uncomfortableness made Emma sad while her mom was ignorant of everything going around her.
Chat comforted Emma with the promise of everything being alright moving forward, to then explain how her Thanksgiving day went. She explained how she and her sister had a blast cooking, even if the food didn't taste all that well in the end.
They both laughed when Chat said they moved the Tv in front of the table and Skyped their parents who were in California and they were talking very merrily between all of them.
The conversation shifted to what the other had been up to for the last month, sharing stories about their short time apart with laughs and snorts.
They both missed this dearly.
Being able to talk with one another while forgetting about the problems each faces - both with their family situations and their mutant status.
Talking with their best friend, even though they did communicate through their phone, is just not the same as being with them. Seeing their expression brighten when something worth saying just hits different.
And a month is a very long time for these young ladies to be spent away like this from one another. Chat is not used to having fights with friends, and she doesn't really know how she should have acted or anything, but she does know that Emma is smart and despite all of her flaws, Chat knows that her friend cares about their relationship; so she will see how the blonde wants to handle the situation.
Emma meanwhile was equally, if not more so, inexperienced than Chat when it comes to relationships and how their protocols go. So following what happened with Peter that led to them to open up their feelings to one another, Emma decided she would simply tell the truth.
No lies, no twisting the truth and definitely not mind control. The simple and honest truth.
"So - hey, Chat? There's…there's something I need to tell you. And I wanted you to hear it directly from me first" Emma said after a long time of the two girls chatting amiably.
"Oh, is that the reason you came?" She asked somewhat sadly and with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, it's not like I need a reason to visit my best friend, right? Especially when she's sick" Emma answered, glad to see some glint returning in Chat's eyes.
"Well, you did bring me these" Chat said as she motioned her cookies "so what's up?"
"It's, well… I believe we should talk about Peter" Emma admired seriously.
"Oh…that" Chat was embarrassed, remembering how she shouted at Emma through the phone and accused her of only being in school with her so that she could steal Peter from her. As if he was ever her's to begin with.
"Yes, that. But before anything else is said, please know that I didn't know your feelings for him. And I swear on whatever you want me to, that if I had done, I would have never looked at him that way" Emma said full of conviction while standing up from the chair she's on and taking a seat with Chat on her bed.
Chat looked as Emma sat crossed legged in front of her while she talked, and had only one question for her.
"Did you really not know?" She asked, her voice low and shy.
"Of-of course not! I swear I didn't read your mind, just like you made me promise!" Emma explained herself "I just thought you two were just friends and nothing more".
Chat, wanted to believe in her friend, she truly wants to. But can she? It breaks her heart to think of her best friend like this, but Chat knows that Emma is a bad girl. She steals, she manipulates and she abuses her powers to get whatever she wants.
How can she be sure this isn't one of those times?
"Did you 'mess' with me? With my mind?" Chat questioned once again, action that made Emma deeply upset.
The blonde is really disliking being interrogated like this - in a way that made her feelings hurt. This level of doubt and suspicion coming from Chat really stung Emma where it matters.
"N-No! If I did, we wouldn't even be having this conversation! I don't mean to sound dangerous or anything, but if I wanted you to be happy around me all the time, I could make it happen with almost no problem. The fact that you are doubting me should be proof enough to you!" Emma argued her point.
"…" Chat stood quiet, considering her words. Silence that Emma felt like 'doubt', which hurt her yet again.
Emma sighed as she took hold of Chat's hands with her own.
"Look, I know I'm not the most trustworthy person there is. But believe when I say that I value our friendship like I do a small number of things. And I want my best friend with me - not some mind controlled puppet. I want you, Chat… the real you" Emma was starting to notice her voice breaking and started becoming smaller while feeling tears welling up her eyes "and I just… I don't want to lose my best friend".
Chat is doubting her, and now it's probable that she is going to hate her. Emma hates this. She wanted to get together with Peter, but not at the cost of her best friend!
And even as bratty as Emma is, she knows that she can't always get her way, but she desperately wants things to go her way right now.
She can't lose her best friend, not like this.
She's getting so nervous that her hands are starting to tremble slightly. She's here telling Chat how much she appreciates her in her own way and she hasn't even revealed her new relationship status.
Chat meanwhile could see how hard it is for Emma to open up like she's doing right now. She's known for ages that she is Emma's first, best and only friend in the whole world, but she has never admitted it before.
And she feels the same for her. That's why she's feeling bad for leading the usual cold Emma Frost to the verge of tears.
"It's okay Emma, I believe you, please don't cry" Chat said with her voice starting to break as well.
"It's just… I don't *Sniffle* I don't want you to hate me" Emma said as her nose started to water as well, making her voice sound almost like a sob.
"I don't hate you Emma, I can't. You're my best friend. . So please don't cry or I'll start crying too" Chat squeaked as she's trying her hardest not to break down.
Emma tries nodding at Chat in agreement of her request with a trembly smile, but a treacherous tear makes her start shaking her head in denial as more and more start to fall down her cheeks as she starts sobbing quietly.
Seeing her best friend in this state makes Chat imitate her as she starts sobbing as well.
Both girls close the distance with one another and hug as they both start crying in the other's arms.
————
With Peter
Peter is at his internship with his mentor and boss, Otto Octavius and his fellow co-workers, which are few in number. But even if he is the only intern there, everyone around him is still nice enough to him to appreciate whatever input he has to give.
However, he was now unusually still and quiet on his workbench, not really doing much. A strange thing to see happen to the young Parker, who is always talkative and full of energy - basically bouncing around all over their lab whenever he's there.
His attitude prompted one of Peter's coworkers to worry slightly about him "hey there little dude, everything okay?"
Peter snapped out of whatever thoughts were flooding his mind as his coworker placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Huh?" Peter asked dumbly, now looking back at the man's eyes.
*Chuckle* "Are you okay dude?" Repeated the man after laughing at Peter's reaction.
"O-oh yeah, just… too much in my mind, y'know?" Peter reassured the man with a smile. Not really lying, but not willing to say any more.
"Mental block, huh? Yeah, I've been there before. You just take it easy, all right? It is more common than you think on nerds like us" the guy reasurres Peter, thinking he was stuck on an invention or a particularly hard equation that had him like that.
He would have offered help, but he knows that people like Peter and himself would ask for help if needed in such things.
"Right, thanks" Peter smiles gratefully at the man, prompting him to leave Peter to himself once more.
In reality, Peter is finally getting over the excitement of being able to say that he has a beautiful girlfriend by the name of Emma Frost, who is way over his league.
He is just now realizing that she, besides being a mutant - which he doesn't care about - knows his identity as Spider-Man. And he can't help but wonder, is that a good thing? A bad thing? A terrible occurrence that will only end in tragedy for someone?
Peter can say that his mind is one of his greatest assets, but it works as a double edged sword in situations like these - where Peter allows his mind to run wild. Especially because of his 'Parker Luck' which will ultimately end up ruining something for him, and his relationship with Emma is something he doesn't want to ruin.
And not only that, but now Susan Storm also knows how he looks and his first name. He didn't give her a last name or anything else, but there are for sure cameras in the kitchen for security reasons, and with Reed's technology, it should be a piece of cake to identify him.
…maybe he should hack into government records and hide any personal information about himself? It's something that he hasn't thought about, but he also has a lot of enemies out there that might have access to satellites or something similar… as crazy as that sounds.
He really needs to be more careful with his secret identity, doesn't he?
And it's not only about Spider-Man, but also about how Peter is as a person. Is he even up to the task of being someone's boyfriend? Setting aside his heroic double life - which is not easy - Peter is still very busy as a guy.
Will he be able to give Emma everything she deserves as a partner?
The boy is left wondering about this for long.
….
The young boy is so deep in his mind that he doesn't notice how 2 hours go by with the boy stressing himself over scenarios that he doesn't even know could happen, making even Dr. Octavius himself visit Peter.
"Parker?" Otto asks as he gently leaves some papers on Peter's work bench.
"Dr. Octavius! I didn't see you there" Peter says as he, once again, snaps back to reality.
"I noticed. I couldn't help to see that you're unusually quiet over here, is there any problem?" Otto asks in a soft and caring voice, concern written all over his face.
"N-nah, just a case of a mental block is all" Peter uses the excuse that was handed to him before with an uneasy smile.
"I see… come see me in my office in five minutes if you please" Otto watches Peter with narrowed eyes before making his request, tapping softly at Peter's desk the whole time.
"Wha-? A-Am I in trouble?" Peter panicked and paled at his boss's request for his presence at the office.
Usually when this happened to anyone it only meant a severe talking to. Sometimes about safety protocols being ignored by someone, other times their late arrival to work and even a serious discussion about health issues when a scientist decided it was a good idea to spend several nights here, drowned in their work.
The only other time that Peter was called to Dr. Octavius' office was to receive the news of his payment, but that was an isolated occasion.
Any other time Otto requested anybody in there, some sort of shouting could be heard.
"Hmm, we'll see" the owner of the place said as he left Peter alone, now his head filled with entirely other sets of thoughts.
'Did I do something wrong? Does it look like I'm lazing around? Well, I am but… oh his he's not going to fire me, is he?!' Peter rambled on his own head as the clock started ticking.
'Oh god…' Peter muttered in his head as he quickly went over anything he could have done before he has to enter the doctor's office.
————
With Emma and Chat
"Before you decide not to hate me" Emma muttered as she slowly released Chat from the hug, making the animal enthusiast do the same "I have something more to tell you" she finished as she helped herself to some of Chat's tissues.
"…you're dating Peter" Chat concludes as she looks at Emma widening her eyes and opening her mouth incredulously, making her suspicions correct.
"H-how-?" The blonde begins to question. Only to be interrupted by Chat.
"I trust that you didn't mess with my mind, and the only way you could believe would make me hate you is you dating Peter, right?" She asked, still with her broken and sickly voice.
Emma simply nods shamefully as she looks away from Chat.
Chat, seeing this only releases the air she has through her only working nostril while laying fully on her bed, looking up at her ceiling.
"I fell for Peter…" After a few seconds of silence, Chat started talking, remembering the time when her feelings for the boy were realized "about a week or two after I entered middle school."
Emma turned her back against the wall and inclined on this one, bringing her knees to her stomach and hugging them without a word to allow her friend to tell her story.
"It was second grade and everyone had already made their little groups the year prior, so I was the new girl who knew no one. It didn't help the fact that my powers appeared just a few weeks before this, so I was scared of that as well.
I was this shy, awkward and lonely little girl that was entering a new place.
And it was scary.
But on the very first day, the principal assigned to me this nerdy guy with these big round glasses to show me around school, and I could see by the way he talked, moved, laughed and addressed me that he was such a… noble person" Chat said with a small giggle at the memory of Peter matching her shyness when they first met.
Emma meanwhile nodded at Chat's story without interrupting, feeling her heart clench with a tini-tiny amount of jealousy at the way Chat's voice grew softer at the mention of a younger and powerless Peter.
A side of him that she didn't have the pleasure of knowing.
It was a facet that was gone forever, and she didn't get to know him like that. Was that a good thing? A bad thing? Now the telepath could never know.
But Chat continued "and from that day forward, Sophie and Peter became friends. Friendship that soon turned into a one sided crush when I saw just how correct I was about his nobility. He'd help me understand subjects I didn't, he was polite to every single person around him and he even went as far as to help an old lady cross the street while carrying her groceries when we hung outside the school for the first time!
*Giggle*
It was so cute how he tried to refuse the candy from the lady all ashamed, and then accepted it when she said 'kid, just take the fucking lollipop' with a sweet smile on her face. He was so shocked by that!" Chat explained as her giggle turned into a full on laughter.
Laughter that was shared by Emma in a lower intensity by the image of said memory. She could have seen it easily in Chat's mind, but she didn't want to do anything that might warrant her anger.
She would definitely ask to do it later though, if everything turned out well between them.
God, how Emma hopes it does.
"And then he met you…" Chat says with a sad smile at the memory of the two closest people to her getting along.
Emma winced a little at the lump that formed on her friend's throat, but Chat continued "and you two hit it off like I didn't even know it was possible.
Around him, you started laughing louder than ever, you began to look brighter as well. I mean, he even managed to get you to enroll in our school without even trying! God knows I tried to do it, but it seems you are only convinced by a cute butt" Chat says with humor now filling her voice as she says that last part.
"Hey!" Which gains a light slap on Chat's shin from Emma. It wasn't hard by any means, just a friendly slap to show disagreement from Emma.
Although, Emma can't say whether it was because of what Chat said about her or the fact that she's ogling at her now boyfriend.
*Giggle* Chat laughed at Emma's action, but quickly went back to her expression from before.
"But it's not just you. I also see the way Peter tries and fails to not stare at you with dreamy eyes, or how happy he is whenever you are beside him in school, which is like, all the time.
But more than that, it's how he acts with you. He's confident, sure of himself. It's like he doesn't need to hide the Spider-Man side of his personality when he is around you, and you alone…" Chat took a moment to search for her next words "I guess… that I wasn't mad at the idea of you dating Peter, Emma. I think I somehow knew it would end like that, I just didn't want to see it.
… and I didn't want to see it because it was scary to think that if you two started dating, I would be by myself once again" Chat admitted as tears started forming in her eyes once again and she tried to hide them with her arm.
She didn't like feeling lonely.
Even when Peter and Emma grew closer together than she originally expected, or wanted them to, she was happy. Happy that she had Peter around her, showering her with his kindness whenever he was present. Happy that she had Emma, who she can relate with to a level that she couldn't with any human.
Peter, in a way, became her hope that everything would be okay as long as he was around. An ethereal and nonsensical feeling of security that promises laughs and calm as long as he is smiling her way.
She's a mutant, and it scares her to think that just because she was born different, humans would always hate her.
But that can't be true, can it? Not when there are people in her life like Peter, who despite living a real tragedy that is his life, he still somehow manages to look at the bright side of everything and bring with his smile a reassurance of what the future can be.
And Emma; she is Chat's best friend, her sister from another mother. With her, she does the things she always wanted to do on Tv and much more. With Emma, she had her first sleepover, her first gossip talk, her first outing to a mall to shop and all kinds of things that teenagers are supposed to indulge in.
But it's better because Emma is also a mutant, which means that Chat doesn't have to hide her powers from her friend. She can be true to herself without being alone.
…Alone.
She's scared of being lonely. Perhaps it could be due to her first few years during and after her parents divorced, or maybe that she left the city she grew up in to move to the big apple after the marriage failed and her dad moved to the other side of the country. Maybe it could even be something as simple as her big sister moving away once she was old enough to do so, leaving her to be mainly alone in her mom's apartment while she worked.
She thinks that her feelings of loneliness are what motivated her mutation to develop in the form of being able to communicate with animals, so that she would never be alone anymore.
And it honestly works…to some extent.
She loves Flapper and all of her animal friends, but they just can't compare to the warmth that other people bring. That's why she was so happy to meet Emma when she was having another one of her lonely sprees in the park while surrounded by squirrels. And why she fell for the brown haired boy.
The thought of both of them leaving her alone is crushing to her.
"Oh sweetie, no… we could never leave you behind. Peter and I, we both care for you like you have no idea" Emma started reassuring her friend with a soft and caring voice "Peter thinks highly of you, he really appreciates your friendship and well… you're my best friend Chat, now and forever. Nothing can or will change that".
Emma's heart clenches as she hears Chat's soft sobs while trying to hide her face on the inside crook of her elbow with her right arm, while her left hand clenches her shirt in front of heart with strength.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry" Chat murmurs in between sobs.
"There's nothing you need to apologize for" Emma reassures easily.
"But I do! I shouldn't have accused you of anything or start that fight between us that lasted almost a month just because I was scared of you two leaving me…not when I…" Chat suddenly sat up with her voice full of emotion and regret, to then change to a shameful whisper that left her unable to look at Emma.
"Chat?" Emma asked, as worry painted her friend for the sudden change in behavior mid sentence.
"I'm sorry Emma, I haven't been honest with you" Chat said apologetically as she looked at Emma hesitantly.
"W-what do you mean?" Emma asked in the same fashion.
"I'm moving to California with my family next summer" she admitted as she looked away from Emma's shocked face.
"WHAT?!"
————
With Peter
*Knock knock* After exactly five minutes, Peter knocked on his boss' door.
"Come on in" he heard from the other side, so he opened the door and quickly entered it, closing the door after him "please Parker, take a seat."
Peter did so, still looking incredibly nervous.
Until "heh… hehehe hahahaha!" The doctor started laughing at his expense in a very humorous manner, as if he was watching a comedy movie or something.
"D-doctor?" Peter asked dumbly at the situation.
"Relax, Parker! Of course you're not in trouble! This was just my revenge for the surprise party you helped the others organize" Otto said with a warm smile on his face as they both remember the surprise party they all arranged for Otto when their first patent was successfully sold.
"Sooo, I'm not in trouble?" Inquired Peter, dragging the first word with hope.
"No, no, don't worry about that. I actually wanted to see what's gotten you so worried. Practically everyone has seen you been unusually silent today" Otto shrugs Peter's worries away with his hand as his smile turns into a smaller one.
"Oh, it's like I told you before, just a mental block" Peter lies as he avoids looking directly in Otto's eyes.
Small action that Peter knows will tell the older man that he is indeed lying, but it's just part of his plan.
You see, Peter knows that he can't be a perfect liar all the time, so when it's convenient to him, he'll pass himself off as someone who can't lie for his life so that when he really needs to do so because of Spider-Man related activities, no one questions him.
He pretends to be a bad liar, so that his important lies stay better hidden.
This time he would rather have his thoughts to himself, but he knows that Dr. Octavius won't press him on the matter.
"Come on Parker, I know that it's something else" or Peter could be totally wrong and Dr. Octavius would indeed press on.
"W-well it's something embarrassing, really…" Peter tried to get out of it, but Otto simply raised an eyebrow in expectation "fine, it's *sigh* it's about a girl" Peter said, not being able to be more embarrassed.
"…" Otto winked twice at the information as he stared at Peter, making the young and blushing boy squirm a little in his seat.
Until "HAHAHAHAH" the doctor let out a boastorius laugh at the information.
"W-what!?" Asked Peter as he saw how the doctor started laughing so hard he nearly fell off his chair after slamming it with his hands a few times.
"Sorry *Snort* sorry, Parker" Otto said as he cleaned the little tears that formed in his eyes due to the laughter, making him unable to see how Peter's face tensed up at the 'S word' "I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing at the situation!" He explained.
"W-what situation?" Peter was honestly lost, and the doctor's apology didn't exactly help to ease his mind.
"A girl! It's a classic!" Otto exclaimed happily as he started pouring water on two glasses.
"Classic? Doctor, I-I am honestly lost here" Peter said as he started losing a little bit of his patience. Here he is having fears about his secret identity, and Otto is only talking in riddles as a response.
"There are few things that distract people like us, Peter. And one of the less, and at the same time, more serious of them, is romantic relationships!" Otto said with a bright smile "you had me worried for a second there, son, not going to lie *chuckle* Anyway, tell me about her, what makes you nervous!"
Peter was left flabbergasted for a moment, but considered telling the older man. Octavius may not be married, or even in a current relationship, but surely he has to have some experience when it comes to dating, right?
Perhaps he can talk about his insecurities and doubts about his new relationship without revealing anything about Spider-Man.
It's a good thing that Peter looks up to the man tye way he does.
"W-well, her name is Emma and yesterday and I ended up, uhm, confessing my feelings to her" Peter began experiencing "but I don't know what to do from here".
"Hmm, did you get rejected?" Otto asked carefully, knowing very well how that feels.
"N-no, actually she said she liked me back, so we are now dating" Peter said with an almost nervous smile. It's somewhat embarrassing to say that aloud he found.
More so to someone Peter holds in such a high regard as Otto Octavius.
"Congratulations!" Otto said with a bright smile.
Otto felt genuinely happy about this.
The older man has a soft spot for the younger, seeing as he sees himself in Peter. And he really likes the kid.
Parker is hard working, incredibly smart, humble and he looks up to Otto, which makes the older man proud of himself. He feels like a mentor to him, and in some cases, Otto even feels like Parker could be the closest thing he could ever get to a son.
Perhaps it's too soon to say that for either of them, but for some reason, Otto is sincerely happy and proud of Peter for being comfortable enough to talk with him about stuff like this.
And because of it, he really wants to help the younger man "But then, what's the problem?"
"It's just… well, she was my friend before this, so what if I screw things up? And then I'm very busy with school, the internship, helping out my aunt in whatever she needs - what if I end up not giving her enough time? What if something hurt- I mean what if I hurt her?" Peter started rambling away as he let out some of his fears for the older man to hear.
Emma has become someone very important to Peter, and now that she has learnt his secrets and still accepts him with them, her value in Peter's heart inevitably increased significantly so.
He doesn't want to lose her, so being a bad boyfriend is a new insecurity he never knew he would have to deal with. And sure, like any normal teenager, he's pictured himself dating with the various little crushes he's had over the years, but nothing too concrete.
And now he has the real thing; a real relationship with a beatiful, smart, funny and lovable girl that he has been crushing on for many months now. He doesn't want to screw that up!
*Chuckle* "Parker, let's calm down for a moment, okay?" Otto said gently, amused by the boy's attitude. Sure, Otto knows that Peter is shy and nervous, but this was on another lever. Not that he doesn't understand.
"R-right, sorry" Peter said, ashamed by his ramble.
"Nonsense, you worrying about this just shows that you care, and that's more than most can say" Otto reassured Peter with a smile "you say you've been friends with her for some time now, right?"
"Yeah" Peter confirms as he takes out his phone and shows Otto a picture of him and Emma that she took while he was distracted in a park while they treat themselves to some ice cream "we've been hanging out together since a little before summer".
*Whistle* "Wow, Parker. You should be teaching me how to land a pretty lady like her" Otto said humorously as he looked at the picture.
"Heh, I'd be lying if I'd say I knew how I did it" Peter quipped back as he retrieved his phone; a warm smile appeared on his face as he looked at the photo.
"But that's good, you know? Since you've been friends for that long, then that means she more or less knows your schedule, right?" Asked Otto.
"W-well yeah, now she does" Peter agreed, thinking of how she now knows about his 'night life' as well.
"Perfect! Then you have nothing to worry about, Parker" Otto said as he stood up "if she agreed to dating you, then that means she knows what she's getting into and has accepted it".
"…yeah, I guess that's true" Peter said as he also stood up "thanks doctor".
"It's my pleasure, Parker. Looking after my employees and friends is part of the job, right?" Otto said as he opened up his door for Peter to walk through.
Peter smiles warmly at that; he knows that Otto is a very good boss, and it's nice to know that the older man looks after him. More so if he calls him a friend, which Peter also believes the older man to be.
Despite their differences in age, Peter can say that Otto and him have some sort of kinship with each other, and it's nice to know that the older man feels the same way.
"Still, thanks!" Peter said as he stood at the door.
*Chuckle* "Speaking of jobs, let's each get to our own, huh?" Otto said as he amused himself by the blush on Peter's face.
"R-right to it, sir" Peter replied as he scrambled away to his work bench. Now feeling ready to work on whatever he was told to do.
————
With Emma
"What do you mean you're moving away?!" Demanded to know the blonde with an almost horrified face "is this because of Peter and I?!"
"No! Of course it's not about that!" Chat tried to calm her friend in that regard "my parents just wanted to give it another shot at their marriage, and dad can't leave his job down there, so…"
"I- but you- we…" Emma started stammering unlike herself at the information.
"If you find it hard to believe, you can see it through my eyes… just this once!" Chat said as she offered her mind to her friend.
"… are you sure?" Asked Emma, really wanting to know if her friend is really moving away. She has to know if it's true, and if it is, whether it's her fault or not.
Chat merely nodded as she closed her eyes softly, prompting Emma to sigh a little before entering her mind.
Quickly she found what she's looking for.
Conversations between her mother and father through the phone where she looks happy. Her father inviting both sisters to spend summer with him in California so that they could see their future home. Her mother moving in first to fix all the legal problems while Chat asks to finish her first year of high school in New York.
Emma saw all of this and understood that it was not because of something she or Peter did to warrant her to move away from the city, but it was simply the circumstances of her family that led to that development.
Exiting her friend's mind, Emma asked hesitantly "why didn't you tell me?"
But Chat was prepared for that "Because I wanted to spend time with my best friend without feeling sad or us being all weird about it. I wanted to pretend everything was normal… Do you hate me for that?" Chat asked shyly.
"N-no. It's sad that you're moving away, but I'm… I'm happy for you" Emma said as she swallowed her more real feelings. It is true that she is happy for her friend though.
"Really?" Asked Chat, a little shocked by that.
"Of course I am! I know how much your family means to you, and if you all can be happy somewhere else then by all means you should" Emma explained with a bright and somewhat forced smile.
"… Thank you, Emma. That means a lot to me. But that's also why I wanted to apologize to you" Chat started "I begged for my sister to keep her job a little longer so that I could spend time with you, and a month was spent with us fighting!"
"It's… unfortunate that it happened like that. But if you're willing to, we can hang out like always until the day you have to leave comes" Emma said with a soft smile on her face.
"I'd-I'd really like that" Chat sniffed with emotion as Emma said that "but what will happen once I have to go?"
"We can… come back to that when it happens. Plus, it's not like we'll stop being friends or anything, and I can always go down there to visit!" Emma said with newfound confidence.
"Yeah, you're right! Oh, that's going to be awesome!" Chat said, also now with a happy expression.
"I can even come visit that same summer after you settle in completely" suggests Emma.
"That's a great idea! You can even bring Peter along!" Chat said with a happy expression.
"… really? You'd be okay with that?" Emma asked carefully, not knowing if her friend is truly okay with the two of them dating.
*Pfft* "Of course! I told you, I wasn't mad that you started dating him, in fact, I'm very happy for you, for both of you!" Chat said with a wide grin on her face.
Emma's lip trembled slightly by the emotion. Seems like everything went well for her, and despite the sadness to know that her friend is moving away, they still have around 7 months to spend together.
"Thanks Chat, that means a lot to me" Emma said with a trembly smile.
"And I do mean it. You both deserve to be happy, and I know you two can be it together" Chat said softly, prompting Emma to hug her friend yet again.
Both girls embraced each other in a warm and thoughtful hug as they reconciled. Each had their own fears and doubts for their friendships, but luckily everything was talked out with the truth.
*ACHOO* but their moment was interrupted by Chat, who let go quickly of Emma to avoid getting anything on her as she felt her sneeze coming.
After blowing her runny nose, Chat said very embarrassed "Sorry, sorry!"
*Giggle* "Don't worry about it" said Emma as she gave Chat room to clean herself. Causing a silence to form between the two friends.
"… so, do you want to talk about Peter being Spider-Man?" Chat tentatively said, not knowing how Emma was going to react to that.
"Oh my god! It's so crazy!" Emma practically yelled with almost sparkling eyes and a big goofy smile.
"I know!" Chat replied in kind with the same intensity.
"And it explains so much about him! But god, he is good at hiding it in the dumbest ways" Emma groaned to herself.
"But that makes it so no one would question it! It's genius in a stupid way!" Chat giggled as she remembers the many times she's had to cover for Peter's lame excuses to the others.
"And wow, he's so powerful! Did you see his fight with the electric weirdo that appeared this summer?" Emma questioned as she recalls scolding Peter after taking pictures of Spider-Man fighting that guy, without even knowing that he is the other guy.
"Of course I did, but what about when he crashed a plane?" Chat questions with awe in her voice. It's still pretty wild to think of Peter Parker to be the one doing all of those things.
"The day you guys had your prom night? *Scoff* at least something good happened that night" Emma mutters as she recalls how Peter had a date with another girl. But luckily for the blonde, Peter ditched Liz.
*Giggle* "Oh come on, you can't tell me you're going to be the jealous type, right?" Chat giggles as she questioned her friend, who gained a small blush on her face.
"And why shouldn't I? I see nothing wrong with it" Emma said matter of factly with her arms crossed.
"I don't know, I think you're going to have to get used to people falling head over heels for Spider-Man~" Chat teased.
*Scoff* "They can have their little crushes on him all they want, the only thing that matters is that he looks my way and just my way" Emma huffed "plus, it's the same for him. After all, I have men drooling after my every step" Emma replied arrogantly, remembering Peter's own words about her.
*Giggle* "Then I guess you two are a perfect match" Chat said humorously, but with a large hint of truth behind her words.
Over the span of highschool and the month Chat and Emma have been apart, Chat has come to accept that pursuing Peter was a lost cause. Aside from her moving cities, there was just no competition against Emma, who Peter very clearly sees with pink tinted glasses.
Same as Emma does with him.
And much to her first displeasure, even Chat had to admit they looked cute together. But now that she accepted there was no chance between her and the brown haired boy, she can admit out loud without any negative feelings that they are indeed a good match for each other.
"Yeah, I think we are" Emma agreed happily at the words of her best friend.
"Oh hey, and what did Peter tell you about him fighting Mr. Connors?" Chat asked, intrigued all this time of how the boy must've felt fighting the teacher he very clearly gets along with.
"Okay, get this. So Mr. Connors actually first turned into The Lizard when Peter accidentally fixed his formula, so he…" Emma started explaining what she was told, thus starting their gossiping over Spider-Man's exploits and achievements.
Then becoming one of their usual talks, where both girls gossiped, laughed and simply enjoyed each other's - much missed company.
For hours and hours, Emma and Chat indulged themselves in their shared friendship as though nothing happened or was about to happen.
There was no fight, there was no moving away.
There are just two friends, laughing in the safety of Chat's room.
————
Hours later
*RING RING*
Just when Peter was about to start his patrol, his phone rang.
Now in full costume, except for his mask, Peter curiously turned to his night stand where his phone safely stays while he goes around the city and sees that the one calling him is none other than Emma.
"Oh, hey! How were things with Chat?" Peter asks as soon as he answers, hoping to hear good news from her.
"…they were good. We got over the fight and… everything is fine" Emma said, but despite the good news, she didn't sound particularly pleased.
"That's good, but uhm, are you okay?" Peter asks with worry laced in his voice "you don't sound too happy".
"I'm… can I see you?" Emma suddenly asks with her voice breaking ever so slightly, sending all kinds of alarms to his head.
"S-sure! Where do I meet you?" Peter agreed easily to her request.
"There's a balcony in my penthouse's great room on the north side of the building. A part of it is secluded enough so that no one can see you" Emma began explaining still with that edge on her voice "I'll wait for you there".
"You got it. I'll be there as soon as I can" Peter informed her as que placed his mask on.
"Thank you" Emma muttered before hanging up the phone, prompting Peter to 'fly' out of his window with a destination clear in mind.
….
Around half an hour later, Peter spotted Emma's particular white-ish blonde hair out in the open, exactly where she had told him she'd be. So without wanting to make her wait further, Peter landed a few feet from her, on the railing of the balcony while posing in his famous crouch.
"Peter!?" Emma asked, slightly startled by the sudden appearance of Spider-Man.
"Surprised?" He teased as he got off the railing, standing at the same height as hers, meeting her eyes with his white lenses.
"I'll say" Emma answered in kind, now feeling more at ease with Peter there "I know you're Spider-Man, but it feels weird having you here like this".
*Chuckle* "I can imagine" Peter said humorously, imagining things from her perspective "uhm, no one can see me here, right?"
"No, no one can see us here" Emma replied easily, prompting Peter to take off his mask.
It was something of a gamble to do that, but he now trusts Emma enough to do that. Although it was still nerve wracking for Peter to do that in front of someone else out in the open like they are.
"Hey" Peter said as his eyes turned soft and he approached the girl "so, are you okay? What happened?"
Seeing the caring eyes of Peter asking that of her, Emma's lip trembled slightly as she went over her previous conversation with Chat.
"She's moving away" Emma said, barely above a whisper.
"What? Who is?" Peter questioned, not fully understanding what she meant.
"Chat… she told me that next summer she is moving down to California to be with her family" Emma revealed as she felt her eyes watering again, which made her feel stupid.
She shouldn't be feeling sad, dejected and lonely at the fact that her best friend has a chance of getting her family back together and be happy. Especially when Emma knows that it is a dream come true for Chat to have her family as it was.
Complete.
And she tried to make herself feel strong.
She genuinely attempted to act as if those were great news while being with Chat in her home, she tried making sense of it while telling herself that things would not change between them no matter how far either of them goes, and she tried to not feel sad about the fact that her best friend kept this from her.
But she couldn't.
The 15 year old Emma Frost is going to be away from the first friend she's ever made and that feels awful.
It may be petty, ridiculous and perhaps even crazy to feel that way, but she still feels it.
Which is why when she began feeling like that once she got home, Emma called Peter. Perhaps she didn't mean for Peter to go all the way to her home at first, forcing him out of his patrol time which he just told her is very important to him.
But with the way she's feeling, she dreads being alone.
Because just like Chat, at her core, Emma is a lonely kid just trying to be seen. That's why she called for Peter, her boyfriend. The only person in the whole wide world who she feels 'sees' her the best.
"Oh" Peter muttered lamely, processing her words and what that meant for Emma "OH! Man, Emma that's-"
But Emma interrupts him, trying to sound confident and nonchalant "That's great, right? Chat has always wanted her parents to fix their differences and it seems like they finally are going to!"
Attitude that Peter did not buy "It is great for her, but Emma-"
"And now she is going to be leaving for California with her lovely family, meeting new people, making friends - new and better friends!" Emma started talking faster and faster "and she won't have any reason to look back here ever again-".
"That's not true" Peter tried interrupting, but he was unsuccessful.
"And you ask if I'm okay? Of course I'm okay! Better actually!" Emma's eyes started to redden slightly because of the tears threatening to come out yet again "H-how could I feel anything else but happiness for-!"
"Emma!" Peter yelled at her as he grabbed her by her shoulders "it's okay to be sad, you know?"
Emma stared at his eyes full of understanding and she allowed herself to be weak in front of him. So she started shedding shameful tears as she closed the distance and hugged Peter tightly.
There were no words needed at the moment. What she needed was just something - someone - to cling to so that she could forget any feelings of lonesome.
She won't be alone, even if Chat leaves, she now has her boyfriend after all. Boyfriend who came as fast as she requested him to, bringing her his unquestionable support.
Emma's cry was not loud or ugly by any means, she just allowed some treacherous tears to roll down her eyes while sobbing ever so quietly from time to time, holding her slightly trembling body together with Peter's help.
But even if it was ugly, Peter would still feel a weird sense of protectiveness and pride while holding the girl, stroking her beautiful silky hair while she held onto him.
It's not the same protectiveness he feels with every citizen who he fights for, nor the same pride he feels when he successfully saves the day.
It's something more… intimate. Personal.
Now unique to them.
"God. I-I' sorry, Peter *Sniff* I must seem so pathetic to you" Emma suddenly felt embarrassed at her actions, and stepped away just enough to keep her arms around Peter, but looking slightly away from him.
Boy who discreetly, as always, cringes at the apology.
" 'pathetic'? What do you mean?" Peter asks, shifting his expression to a serious one.
"We've been dating for two days now, and the only thing you've watched me do is cry my eyes out" Emma basically scoffed at herself as she said this, not even being able to believe herself how emotional and… weak, she must look like to Peter
"Hey, come on. There's no way I'd ever think you're pathetic, much less because of that" Peter said with sympathy.
"…Really?" Emma asked shyly and doubtful, still avoiding looking at him.
"Really" Peter spoke with confidence "this just means that you're someone who cares deeply; how could anyone think that's pathetic? And you know what? I think you're wrong"
"About what?" Emma asks as she finally looks at him, still with vulnerability showing in her eyes.
"I don't think Chat would be able to make a better friend than you" Peter started saying as he rubbed his thumbs from where he's holding her "I mean, I'm sure she'll make friends, hundreds even!"
"Not helping" Emma muttered with a small glare and pout.
"But! You'll never be replaced, Emma" Peter kept on saying "no matter how many people she meets, none will be Emma Frost. And I know that because I can tell it's the same for you, isn't it? No matter how many people you meet, she'll always be your best friend".
Emma considered his words for a second too long, but a faint shadow of a smile came on to her "yeah… I guess you're right".
Peter watched with sympathy as Emma still struggled to find it with herself to not be disheartened by the news. Rightfully so. Some words aren't able to shake away her feelings so quickly.
Perhaps she needs a distraction.
"Hey, I know how I can cheer you up!" Peter suddenly exclaimed, looking very excited "do you trust me?"
Question that threw Emma off the loop "Uhm, yeah, of course I trust you. But what does that have to do with any-".
Just as Emma was talking, Peter quickly placed his mask back on and turned his back to Emma.
"Hop on!" He offered her his back while bowing for easy access, looking over his shoulder to see her.
"W-what!?" Emma asked, baffled and understanding what was happening "y-you want to swing me around the city?"
"Yup!" He exclaimed happily "I want to share the thrill of 'flying' around with you!"
Emma wanted to deny his request, but she knew that he was trying to get her mind off whatever negative thoughts were going around her mind. Plus, he sounded just so damned excited that Emma found it impossible to deny.
"S-sure, okay" Emma hesitantly said as she carefully climbed on his back "just please, try to be care-" *AAAAHHH*
Emma was unable to continue whatever request she was asking for Peter, because the moment she hooked his neck with her arms and his waist with her legs, she felt herself 'stuck' to his body.
And she yelled.
Because Peter Parker, her now caring boyfriend, jumped high off her balcony with a front flip and started free falling onto the pavement below them.
*HAHAHA*
And he laughed.
He, almost hysterically, laughed at the way the usually cool and composed Emma screamed into his neck while holding him as tightly as she possibly could, as though her life was in his hands.
Which it literally is.
*THWIP*
Halfway down the Frost International building, Peter shot a strand of webbing to the side of it, and he started swinging around the same building in circles while gaining height with the momentum.
Eventually Peter got to the very top of the building, and landed with yet another complicated frontal flip while Emma kept on screaming for dear life.
Unsticking Emma from his back, Peter allowed her to step away from him so she could take a big breath and calm down.
"So? What did you think of your first test drive?" Peter asked excitedly "Pretty exciting, rig-?" *WHAM*
Peter was then interrupted when Emma slapped him hard on the arm. Peter sensed the slap coming, but decided to let Emma have her moment.
"You idiot!" Emma yelled with frustration "I thought I was going to die!"
"Oh come on, have some faith in me" Peter said humorously "I'd never let anything even remotely harmful happen to you!"
"I-I know that!" Emma answered as she gripped her jacket right above where her heart is "But Jesus, Peter! Give me a warning next time!"
Peter, seeing how scared she genuinely is, felt bad about what he did. Under how entertained he also is of course.
"Okay, okay. I'm sorry" Peter conceded as he approached the now pouting Emma "how about we try again, hm? I promise you'll like it".
Emma crossed her arms and *Hmphed* away from him with a pout, inwardly still trying to calm down.
Peter approached her, still with a smile under his mask and began trying to fix the scarf she has above her thick - white jacket, to keep her from freezing out in the top of her building since it got all messed up from all his flips.
"What do you say? I'll show you the best view this city has to offer" Peter pressed on.
"… do you promise to stop it with all the theatrics?" Emma asks him with a narrowed- side eye and her arms still crossed.
*Chuckle* "I promise" Peter assured easily "we'll go as slowly and carefully as possible".
"…O-okay" Emma agreed after assessing the truth behind his words. She trusts him and he has promised her; nothing else needs to be said.
The moment she agreed, Peter wrapped her scarf around her face to keep her as warm as possible from the cold December air.
And once again, Emma climbed onto his back with her legs around his waist and arms crossed around his neck and he jumped.
This time, Emma tried her hardest not to scream, instead opting to hide her face in Peter's nape while clinging to him hardly. Only registering the gravity shifting under their bodies, the air wheezing past them and the distinctive *Thwipping* sound of Peter's web shooters.
But after a few minutes of her staying that way, she started to realize that she wasn't going to fall due to Peter's body having her whole body but neck and head stuck to him.
So she opened her eyes, and she was immediately fascinated.
The light snow falling softly on every building looked ethereal as it was being lit up by the warm and cool lights of the Christmas season now taking over her city.
Every building was brightly colored; painted in warm orange, festive red and green and the occasional blue and dull white that blurred with the speed Spider-Man had going on - all of them mixing in their own private light show.
And as she looked in awe at everything before her, she felt it - she understood it.
They are flying.
She had wondered why Peter had phrased it that way, but now she truly understood it. How else could anyone call this anything but flight? When gravity became meaningless, height irrelevant and speed fun to play with?
Never would she have thought that she would experience something quite like this with just the help of someone else.
Someone as amazing as she found Peter to be.
Because without the need of any fancy machinery or vehicle, Emma frost and Peter Parker are 'flying' throughout their beloved city. Together.
So she laughed.
Much like Peter did before, Emma couldn't help herself but throw a fit of laughter at the euphoric sensation she felt deep within herself as Peter started going just a little bit faster.
Allowing himself to go higher and drop lower based on her reactions.
So he joined in, and he laughed with her as he reached the very top of the Empire State building. An icon of his city that has a special place in his heart due to it being a landmark unique to New York, and the sight it provides.
"I-I have to give it to you, Pete" Emma started saying happily and still with a hint of laughter in her voice once she got off Peter's back and took the scarf off her face "that was indeed thrilling".
"Right?!" Peter answered in kind, taking off his mask "I knew you were going to like it! And-and what about the view?"
Emma, instead of looking at the view, looked at Peter.
How happy he was to be able to change her previous mood to a happy one, how excited he was for being able to share this with her and how his eyes sparkled with the city lights.
So she cupped one of his cheeks with her hand, and forced him to look back at her.
"Mm? What is-?" Whatever Peter was about to say was drowned in Emma's lips, in what to Peter was a sudden move from her.
Sudden, but not unwelcome.
So snapping out of his initial shock, Peter turned his body completely to her and returned the sweet and still innocent kiss.
"Thank you, Peter" Emma said once she broke off the kiss, looking at her now boyfriend with a reddened face and a grateful smile on her face.
"Me? Thank you~" Peter says with a dumb and love-struck smile after clearly enjoying the kiss.
*Snort* "You're such a dork" Emma answered with a laugh, both at what he said and the face she managed to make him put with a peck on the lips.
"You know you like it~" Peter teased with a singly voice.
"Yeah, I do~" Emma teased back, knowing that it would have more of an impact on Peter. Which, based on his face, she was correct in her assumption.
And before Peter could stammer something dorky back, she closed the distance yet again, sharing another sweet kiss on top of the Empire State for the December night to witness.